Tuesday’s visual art blog in London

Othello: The add-raptation of Shakespeare by the Q brothers

Othello in hip-hop? There are so many Shakespearean interpretations these days so why not? At the Shakespeare’s Globe last Saturday, I had the privilege to see the Q brothers pay homage to Shakespeare in rap and yes in jumpsuits. The Q brothers narrated the tragedy of Othello, giving it a fresh urban vibe to the point of turning it into something comic and light. I know even Shakespeare die-hard aficionados would definitely enjoy this and I believe as long as the crowd digs it (and we did!) and if this adaptation can attract a younger audience, then let’s welcome more of these urban twists.

The adaptation used a lot of modern references from videogames, He-man and nerds – the intent of course is to reach as much audience as possible.

Here the eclectic crowd at Shakespeare’s Globe also seemed to appreciate the efforts. The crowd was definitely mixed of all ages and everyone seemed to have a good time. At one point the crowd was even throwing their arms in the air. My colleagues loved it so much they queued for tickets to watch the Q brothers the next day. As for me, it would be nice to read the original Othello with a background of beats.